


It Started With a Game

by nightlight9



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Claudia Stilinski, Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Growing Up Together, M/M, No Hale Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-21 00:37:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11932683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightlight9/pseuds/nightlight9
Summary: It’s one thing to have Stiles as his anchor. It’s another thing entirely to realize that he’s in love with his best friend. His best friend who happens to be three years younger than him and, oh god, John is going to have him arrested. He won’t be able to become a cop because he’ll be behind bars.





	It Started With a Game

Derek meets Stiles when he’s eight years old. He’s on the monkey bars playing with his older sister when he notices him for the first time. The younger boy, who’s only five at the time, keeps watching Derek from where he’s sitting alone in the sand. It’s unnerving, the way that the big amber eyes never seem to look away. For a while, Derek ignores it. But as time passes and the boy’s attention stays locked on him, Derek makes the decision to confront him. After all, if the kid has somehow figured out that Derek and his sister are werewolves, then his mom is going to be so mad. And nobody likes it when Momma is mad.

Leaving Laura’s side, Derek ambles across the park, stopping when he’s standing over the boy. He’s ready to go off of his tirade, but then the boy looks up at him with a grin, and Derek can’t remember what he was going to say.

Stiles fills the silence though, talkative even at that young age. “Hi! I’m Stiles!” He holds out his hand until Derek accepts the handshake. “Do you wanna play with me?”

“I-.” Derek glances over where his mom is sitting. She smiles and gives him an encouraging nod before returning to her paperwork, and that’s enough reassurance for Derek to accept the invitation. He plops himself down in the sand and cocks his head to one side. “What are you playing?”

The smile he gets in response is full of joy. “Cops and robbers!”

After considering it for a long moment, as long as an eight year old would, Derek nods seriously, and a friendship is formed.

\----------

Stiles is ten when he finds out werewolves are real. Derek, at thirteen, is pretty good with his control. He’s in middle school now, dealing with the trials of growing up, and never once has he so much as flashed his eyes at a classmate. His control is even better than Laura’s was at his age.

Except when he’s upset. And oh boy, did the prospect of leaving Beacon Hills upset him. Since they’ve become friends, Stiles and Derek have become practically inseparable. And so the discussion about the Hale summer trip is breaking Derek’s heart. “I can’t leave Stiles for a whole summer,” he groans, tears welling up in his eyes. Off to the side, Laura snickers into her hand at his bad behavior. 

Talia frowns at the display. It’s been years since Derek has thrown a tantrum, especially when she’s the one telling him to do something. “Honey, we’re only going to be gone for three weeks.”

The young boy wails. “That’s forever!”

Stiles is pressed to his mother’s legs in the doorway, his own tears falling silently into her pants. Claudia watches Derek pout with slight amusement and the sympathy of a mother, rubbing an idle hand through her son’s hair as the discussion plays out.

And then Derek’s eyes flash gold. Laura stops laughing.

“Derek.” Talia is no longer speaking as his mother. Her voice is the hard iron of the alpha.

Immediately, Derek straightens his posture and quiets his crying. There are still tears rolling across his cheeks from eyes inhumanly bright, and his lip keeps quivering, but he keeps silent. Glancing back and forth between her mother and her brother, Laura straightens her shoulders, ready to step in if her brother needs her. 

Stiles gets there first.

Rushing to wrap Derek in his arms, Stiles gives Talia his dirtiest glare. “Don’t get mad at him,” he says, full of confidence and command despite the fact that he was crying himself only seconds ago. It takes everyone, especially Talia, by surprise. It’s been a very long time since anyone has questioned her authority. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Derek holds firm for a moment longer before folding in against Stiles, his sobbing finally trailing off. The display makes Talia sigh. Derek has always been full of heart.

Claudia’s laughter breaks the tension in the room. She addresses her friend. “Talia, he’s just a boy; you can’t get too mad with him.” A knowing grin pulls her lips up playfully. “Besides, from what I understand about werewolves, it makes sense that Derek would lose control if he thought he was being taken away from his anchor.”

Silence descends on the room again. And then Talia’s expression gentles. “Yes, you’re right.” She doesn’t ask how Claudia knows about werewolves (though the spicy scent of magic that always clings to Claudia does make more sense), or why she seems so relaxed about her son holding onto one that’s losing control. Instead, she turns to her son. “Derek honey, it’s okay. You’re not in trouble.” Meeting Claudia’s eyes briefly, she adds, “You can show Stiles, if you’d like.”

Slowly, Derek lifts his head off of Stiles’ shoulders. Aside from his eyes, his face is human.

Glancing back at his mom for approval, Stiles cradles Derek’s face in his hands and smiles. He seems so much older than he is when he states, “It’s okay, I won’t be scared.”

Laura watches in astonishment as Derek shifts into his beta form. It’s seamless without the struggle he normally has when controlling his shift.

Stiles runs his hands across Derek’s face, smiling as he goes and rubbing at his ears. Frankly, it’s one of the cutest things Claudia has ever seen, especially when Stiles makes a delighted noise and touches the space where Derek’s eyebrows were. She smirks over at Talia, who’s answering smile is full of relief. 

Everything is okay.

\----------

Derek has just turned eighteen when he realizes that he’s in love with his best friend, and it freaks him out.

Stiles is full of light and laughter, has grown into his limbs with confidence (and some clumsy flailing). At fifteen, he’s funny and charming in a geeky way. Even though he’s only a sophomore whereas Derek is in his final year, the pair are still inseparable. They’re both sprawled across Stiles’ bed finishing their homework, and Stiles is prattling on and on about everything they need to do to get ready for the Academy. He had decided years ago that they should both become police officers. After all (Stiles stated with utmost sincerity), they’ve always been partners in crime, so they would make great partners in justice. Derek tried to explain to him that they had never actually done anything that broke the law, but Stiles lived for the metaphor and wouldn’t listen. 

“You know,” Stiles says, stopping mid-rant. He sits up so he can stare at Derek’s face, expression serious. “You don’t really have to do this if you don’t want to.” He gestures to the pamphlets strewn across his desk. “This is my dream. It doesn't have to be yours.”

Derek scoffs, feeling his cheeks heat under Stiles’ thoughtful gaze. “Please, as if you could make me do anything I don’t want to.”

Stiles merely raises an eyebrow at that and-. Okay, he has a point. Over the years, there have been several things that Stiles has talked Derek into doing. So many things. But it’s always been that way, and he doesn’t mind. Even though Derek is older, he’s always been the one following behind. And he knows that he’ll follow Stiles forever.

It’s a sudden, shuddering thought that has him on his feet and moving into the bathroom to create some space between them. Stiles makes a questioning sound, but lets him go.

It’s one thing to have Stiles as his anchor, or to feel smug when Stiles chooses to hang out with him instead of with Scott, or to get jealous when Stiles and Lydia bond over their shared love of long, mathematical equations. It’s another thing entirely to realize that he’s in love with his best friend. His best friend who happens to be three years younger than him and, oh god, John is going to have him arrested. He won’t be able to become a cop because he’ll be behind bars, all because he fell in love with Stiles’ bright heart. And then Stiles will never want to talk to him again, and his life will be ruined.

All of his careful control is stripped away, and Derek is left curled up in the Stilinski bathtub in his beta form.

Stiles finds him immediately, as if he felt Derek’s control break and came running. Without stopping to consider the danger of his actions, he’s climbing into the bathtub too, sitting down and dragging Derek’s shuddering form onto his lap. It shouldn’t be comforting. After all, he had been freaking out because of the younger man. But instantly, Stiles’ presence helps calm him down. 

The bathroom door is pushed open and Claudia steps inside. Stiles tightens his arms around Derek, as if she was planning on to taking him away.

“Talia just called,” she explains in a soft voice. “She thought something was wrong with Derek, and wanted to know if she should come and pick him up.” Taking in the way that the boys are curled together, she shakes her head. “I’ll let her know that you have it under control.”

When she leaves, Derek sits up and stares at Stiles, stares at the person he’s fallen in love with. His wolf hums contently, whispers the word ‘mate’ in his mind, until Derek is left with the warm knowledge that, no matter what will happen, Stiles will always be there too.

“Do you want to talk about what happened,” Stiles asks. He sounds hesitant. “Is this about going to the Academy, because we can-.”

Derek cuts him off by burying his nose against his neck. “It’s not about that,” he confesses into Stiles’ skin. “I want to go to the Academy, and become a police officer, but not because of you. I want to help people like Isaac get out of abusive families, want to help people like Paige walk away from a car accident and find justice. I’ve thought a lot about what my future was going to look like, and I consider other paths. Like becoming a nurse, or following Laura’s footsteps and becoming a firefighter. But it all comes backs to being a cop. It’s what I really want.”

Stiles sniffs, voice suspiciously wet when he asks, “And you promise it’s not because I’m forcing you to follow me?”

Running his nose against the tendon in Stiles’ neck, and feeling centered again, Derek huffs a laugh. “Stiles, as much as I would follow you pretty much anywhere,” the confession sounds too honest, but he presses on, “I respect myself and know that you respect me enough to be honest. And this is me honestly saying that I want to go with you to the Academy. I want to stand beside you until you eventually take over the Sheriff position, and that’s my choice.”

Choking out a laugh, Stiles pushes on Derek’s shoulders until he’s able to look him in the eye. “You think I could be the Sheriff?”

His grin his huge. “Of course. You’re the only one who’ll pester everyone until you get the position.”

As they laugh, the tension is the room is stripped away. Derek still feels exposed and vulnerable, but as Stiles stands up and begins complaining about how his pants are wet, he decides that, yeah, there’s no one else he would rather love than the crazy boy in front of him. 

As he’s leaving the Stilinski house that night, Claudia asks if she can walk Derek to his car. Even though his fear is back anew, he allows her to lead him outside and away from eavesdropping ears. 

“Are you alright,” she asks as Derek unlocks his car doors. He nods, but doesn’t look her in the eyes. “I think I have a pretty good idea about what happened and-.” He stiffens, and flinches back when she reaches out to lay her hand on his shoulder. It makes Claudia laugh, not in a cruel way though, and drop her hand. “Derek, dear. There’s nothing wrong with what you’re feeling. Your mother and I have known for years that you loved him. It’s okay.”

Sweat pools uncomfortably on his forehead as he fights away his panic. “He’s too young,” he whispers finally, glancing up at her.

He’s surprised that her eyes are so kind. This time, when she reaches out to cup his cheek, he doesn't pull away. “Yes, right now he’s too young. But that doesn’t make what you’re feeling wrong, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. I know you, Derek Hale, and I can say without a doubt that you would never do anything to hurt my son. There is no one in the world that I would trust him with more than I do with you. 

“And don’t think for one second that he could never be interested, or that his connection with you will fade.” It’s amazing how easily she voices concerns that Derek hasn’t even allowed himself to consider. “You both are in it for the long haul.”

There’s movement at the window, and Derek watches as Stiles pulls back the curtains to look out at them. His concerned expression and Claudia’s words, ease Derek’s panic, and he thinks, ‘yes, we really are.'

\----------

They’ve just graduated from the Police Academy when Stiles kisses Derek for the first time. He precedes it with a cheesy pick up line, because of course he does.

“Hey Derek.” Licking his lips at the way the police uniform clings to Derek's thighs, Stiles launches right into it. “You probably shouldn’t have become a cop.”

Derek turns around and raises an eyebrow at him, and damn has he ever grown into his ears. “And why exactly is that,” the werewolf asks.

Stiles grins. “It’s just that I think you would have made a better crook is all.”

He rubs at his chin, not really seeing where this is going. “You think I should have become a criminal instead?” Over Stiles’ shoulder, Derek watches as John groans and buries his head in his hand and Claudia erupts into snickers. Laura grins like she’s in on the joke, and his mother just rolls her eyes looking fond. It just serves to confuse him more, watching their families react to Stiles’ speech. 

“Yup,” he agrees, popping the ‘p.’ “It would have been a great life for you. I mean, you’re already a thief, so it wouldn’t have been too hard for you to fall down a life of crime.”

Derek frowns at him. “Stiles, what are you even talking about. I’ve never stolen anything in my life, and you should know that because you’ve been-.”

“Lie. That’s a lie. Because Derek Hale, you stole my heart years ago and-.”

It’s so cheesy and ridiculous that Derek groans despite the way his heart speeds up and his cheeks flush. Ever since that night when he was eighteen, Derek’s love for the younger man has only grown stronger. They’ve had moments through the years, so many _almosts_ , but nothing has ever really come of it. 

And now here Stiles is, finally voicing the romantic affection that he has for Derek, and he’s using a bad joke to do it.

“Why do I like you?” The question sounds far too fond.

Stiles grins. “Because I’m smart and funny and give your life meaning, obviously. Now, are you going to get over here and kiss me, or do I need to woo you some more with my brilliant jokes. Because, let me tell you buddy, I have spent hours coming up with cop related puns for you and-.”

Derek has heard enough. Tugging at the belt loops of Stiles’ uniform, he pulls the younger man closer and presses their lips together. At first it’s awkward, they’re both smiling too wide for it to be a proper kiss, until Derek tilts his head to the side and Stiles presses in closer and. Oh. 

It would be cheesy and over-dramatic to say that kissing Stiles makes Derek see stars, and while Stiles might appreciate that imagery, that just isn't the case. Instead, warmth curls in Derek’s chest, unfurling throughout his body, making his fingertips tingle as they grip at Stiles’ waist. 

“Mmm,” he murmurs into the kiss. “You have the right to remain sexy.”

Derek pulls away with a loud groan, but Stiles just laughs. “What? Don’t you know it’s illegal to look that good. I just thought I would read your rights and-.” Derek smacks his forehead down on Stiles’ shoulder, trying to ignore the way that the words make him flush.

Stiles cackles and combs a hand through Derek’s hair. “Don’t worry, you’ll have _years_ to hear the rest of these jokes.”

And as much as Derek hates to admit it, he’s looking forward to it.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Sterek Writing Room August prompt: cops and crooks


End file.
